Say That You Love Me
by suteffani
Summary: RyoSaku ..."Please. Say it again, say that you love me. Just once more. Please..."


DISCLAIMER: Prince of Tennis characters don't belong to me. They belong to Takeshi Konomi. Only this story is mine

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She walked up to him and slapped him. _Hard._

"Do you know how much I've been _hurt_ by you? The countless amounts of times that I _cried_ for you? How _hurt_ I felt when I saw you with _her_? Do you know how _I hate it_ that you're always so cool and aloof all the time??" Tears were running down her face, but she didn't care she had to let it all out.

_This was her chance._

"You know many times I've prayed to the gods that I wanted to _forget you_ because the pain of loving you was eating me away! I've liked you for _six years Ryoma_! Six whole years I've harbored feelings for you, but not once did you ever look my way or even care for me! But even although you've treated me like dirt...I can't stop loving you! For some stupid pathetic reason...I can't _forget you_...and I hate it! But as much as I try to hate you, I can't. Because I'm a foolish girl that loves you!! Loves you so much that she would do _anything_ just to be able to look at you, be _near_ you, and just feel your _presence_!! **_I...love you._**"

That last phrase was barely a whisper. Normally after a burst like that Sakuno would run away as fast and far as possible as her legs could take her, but now she didn't. She was afraid and she wanted to know what he would say.

But all that time he just stared at her, amazement and shock clear in his striking eyes.

She looked away from him down to her feet, she didn't want to look anymore.

It hurt her so much looking into those cool amber eyes of his. Tears were still running out of her eyes. She was just going to put up a hand to wipe them away, but suddenly a warm calloused hand touched her cheek.

_She gasped._

Ryoma was _shocked_; he knew Sakuno felt something for him, but for_ six years_? She loved_ him_ for _six years_?

He couldn't believe it. During her entire speech he was_ shocked_, he couldn't move or say anything, his eyes kept on staring at her pretty face now filled with tears.

When he finally came back from his state of shock he realized, just how childish he'd been trying to make her jealous. How stupid and_ dense_ he was not to realize the length of her feelings for him.

All he'd been doing all this time was hurting her more and more.

He cursed himself, he was _stupid_ and _arrogant_. He didn't deserve her love, the love of someone so_ pure_ and _innocent_.

He didn't deserve it _at all_!

Unable to watch her cry anymore his hand automatically shot up to wipe her tears away. She looked cute crying but beautiful with her happy smiling face. He wanted to see that face again.

"**_Say that again..._**" It was barely a whisper but he knew she heard it.

He wanted to hear her say it again. Just once more. Just to hear her say that _she loved him_.

Sakuno's eyes shot up expecting to meet those cold amber eyes, but instead she was met with soft, warm, gentle ones.

She never saw them like that _before_.

Her heart tightened. He was doing it again; just looking at him made her heart tight and beat faster.

Wait what did he say?

"_Say that again..._"

What did that mean? Say what again? Say wh...Then it hit her, he wanted her to say that she loved him again. Why though? Didn't he hear it the first time?

She continued staring at him, she wanted to say it again, but she was _afraid_.

She tried for the past year to forget him and now saying that she loved him_ twice_?

What if he rejected her and only wanted her to say it so he could humiliate her later.

She was confused, her brain wasn't functioning properly. Argh he always did that to her.

"Er..."

"_Please_. Say it again, say that you love me. Just _once_ more. _Please..._"

He was pleading her now, he wanted to hear her say it once again loud and clear, he wanted to hear it.

No. He _needed_ to hear it.

He could sense her doubts. Maybe she thought he would reject her. Now that was crazy, he would never reject her.

**_Never._**

He gently moved his hand from her face and took her delicate hands in his, they were so soft and warm, he loved their feel, and he wanted to be able to feel them in his hands forever. He never wanted to let them go. **_He never wanted to let her go._**

Sakuno was now in more shock, he was holding her hands.

_HER hands!_

Somehow just by that action Sakuno got a boost of confidence. She wouldn't be afraid anymore, she would say it again. She felt that even if he was about to reject her, she would somehow be fine; _she'd make it through!_

"**I love_ you_**"

Those words came out of her mouth loud and clear, not only for_ him_ to hear but for_ her _as well.

Without having a chance to react Sakuno was dragged into a tight embrace.

Ryoma was _embracing_ her, in a gentle and tender way.

Was this **_acceptance?_**

She lifted her head to look at him; he was smiling at her and...He had tears in his eyes. Just seeing that smile Sakuno started to tear up herself. Her lips formed a huge smile, she was _happy_, she had never been that happy _before_, she knew what that smile of his meant. **_He loved her too!_**

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I hope you enjoyed it! It was a little one-shot I thought of many moons ago! I just found it again today!

I know I've been absentee from ffnet for a while and I'm terribly sorry for everyone that read "Living Together" and found that there were no updates!

But you've gotta understand I've been super busy this past few months with my Sats! But finally I've finished them! WooHoo!!

However I won't be updating soon at all as I'm packing up my stuff as I'm going to France next week!

Therefore don't expect any updates TT ! But I will be updating for definite during the summer holidays! :D

So be on the look-out! -

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